


The Sun Remains Unbroken

by BegoniaRex



Category: Alpha and Omega - Patricia Briggs, Mercy Thompson Series - Patricia Briggs
Genre: Eventual Romance, Eventual Sex, F/M, Grief/Mourning, Suicide Attempt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-10
Updated: 2020-07-08
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:28:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 11
Words: 21,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24636082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BegoniaRex/pseuds/BegoniaRex
Summary: Vivian's husband has been dead for six months, and she can't take the grief anymore. Julian saves her life by turning her into a werewolf, and she discovers that life still has surprises and wonders in store for her.My first posted fanfic ever.Mentions of the characters we know and love, but this will mainly focus on my original characters in the Minnesota pack. When I saw mention of Minnesota (where I live) in one of the Alpha and Omega novels, it started a daydream about what that pack might look like.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 25





	1. Julian: Lies & More Lies

“I haven’t really settled on what my plans are next, but this house is too big for just me. I’d rather sell it and have the money to put a down payment on a condo near the river, maybe take a big road trip across the country.”

Julian’s hands paused on the light fixture he was installing, a frown forming as his eyes narrowed. Not a single word in those two sentences had been true. Vivian hardly ever lied, and never so blatantly. He kept his gaze on the electrical wires in his hands, feeling the wolf stir unhappily inside him. He knew his normally brown eyes were streaked with gold just then. And while the werewolves were out to the public, he wasn’t, and wanted to keep it that way. He grunted, more to himself than Vivian, and continued his work on the new light for her basement laundry room. He reminded his wolf that now was not the time to get riled up, there was nothing for them to fight here.

Vivian continued, her voice getting quieter, though Julian’s sensitive ears had no problem picking up every word. “I mean, I love the neighborhood, and I’ll miss having neighbors like you, but I just….I just can’t stay here. Not now…” she trailed off and sighed, and then in barely a whisper to herself, not realizing he could hear, “How can I stay where I’m reminded everyday of what I lost?”

Now _that_ was all true. Julian paused again, ducking his head out of the opening in the ceiling to look at Vivian, her back to him as she folded laundry a couple feet away. He didn’t need to be a werewolf to sense the sorrow emanating from her. He felt a similar ache echo in his own chest. It hadn’t even been six months since Vivian’s husband Connor had died in a car crash on his way home from work. He’d been an innocent victim caught in a road rage incident between two other drivers, his car plowed into by an out of control SUV going 90 mph. The damn SUV driver had walked away with a few broken bones, a bashed up face, and some nasty bruises, but Connor had been killed instantly. 

Julian, their neighbor and go-to handyman, had been there when the police showed up to break the news to her. He’d been fixing a leak in the basement bathroom sink when he’d heard the knock on the door, the somber voices of the cops, and then Vivian drop to the floor and scream. It’d been an utterly gut wrenching cry he hoped to never hear again; even if he lived as long as the Marrok, he would never forget that sound. 

In some ways, it felt like Vivian’s life had pretty much ended that day too. The formerly joyful and exuberant woman had spent the intervening months stumbling around in a grief stricken daze. Entering the house was like walking into an open wound - though it was now September, Vivian’s anguish felt just as raw and bereft to Julian as that day in early April.

Julian watched her fold bedsheets with practiced efficiency, still somewhat amused and impressed that Vivian could make such quick work of fitted sheets. She’d told him once the trick was to not think about it too hard and to just roll the sheet up like a burrito. Connor and Julian had both laughed at that, Connor kissing the top of her head and commenting that he genuinely appreciated her taking care of it since his attempts always ended up with wrinkled messes that didn’t fit in the linen closet. 

Vivian’s husband had been a kind, introspective guy with a quiet strength and a moral compass that always pointed true, someone that brought out the best in the people around him. The man had loved sharing a good beer and meaningful conversation that lasted late into the night. And you couldn’t be around him for more than five minutes without knowing he was utterly smitten with his wife. It was evident that Vivian adored him right back; they had been married just over 10 years, though you’d think they were newlyweds at times with how affectionate they were to each other. They weren’t showy or loud about it - you’d just look over and she’d have her hand in his or he’d be playing with a strand of her hair, leaning into each other while hosting one of their many get togethers for friends and family. 

Julian had met Vivian first, when she’d hired him to do a few projects on their house after their old handyman retired to a warmer climate; once she’d found out he only lived a couple streets away, he’d been summarily invited over for dinner and subsequent parties over the next two years. As a handyman, he was friendly with people, but he didn’t have many he actually regarded as true friends; being a werewolf meant he had to keep a good chunk of his life private from everyone but his pack mates. But Connor and Vivian were people Julian’s wolf came to consider his to protect, and the human side valued their company and friendship. He and his wolf both ached from not being able to save Connor ….or to mend Vivian’s broken heart. 

Julian wished he knew what to say or do to bring the smallest shred of joy back into Vivian’s life. But what can you do when half of someone’s heart is ripped away? He’d known mated werewolves who weren’t bonded as strongly as those two had been. 

Shaking himself loose from the melancholy thoughts in his head, Julian knew staying silent wasn’t helping anything either. He at least could remind Vivian she wasn’t alone in her sorrow. Softly, he said, “I miss him too, V.” His eyes were suddenly wet as he continued, “You know he’d want you to do whatever makes you happy.”

She took a shaky breath and rubbed her eyes before looking over her shoulder at him, a ghost of her usual smile flitting across her face. “Yeah...I know.” She looked away and down at the pillowcase now in her hands, smoothing out the creases and continuing with her precise folds. “But it’s hard to want any happiness right now.” She sighed again. “Maybe in a few more months I’ll be ready for that. After I sell the house, and move into someplace new.”

Julian’s eyebrows furrowed. Another lie? Not the selling the house part, but the moving somewhere new. It was hard to pick out the lies with Vivian’s overwhelming grief permeating the room. Her emotions had always been pervasive - usually the house was filled with her peace and joy, evident as soon as Julian stepped inside. It was one of the reasons he’d enjoyed spending time at their place: it seemed like Vivian took the love she and her husband shared and infused their home with it, pouring it over everyone who stepped through the door. He’d always felt so safe and relaxed here, like his wolf could just curl up and rest for a while. 

But a lot had changed since Connor died. Julian supposed that maybe Vivian just didn’t know with any certainty what she was going to do next, so those statements felt like lies. He finally mentally shrugged and told himself he shouldn’t try to psychoanalyze his grieving friend right now. His wolf grumbled unhappily at him, but he shoved it down, focused on trying to be a supportive friend. Connor may have been Julian’s friend, but he was Vivian’s soul mate. Whatever grief Julian was feeling, he knew it was a hundred times worse for her. “Well, if you need any help, I’m here for you. Whether it’s a broken door or you need a decent meal, just let me know. God knows, you’ve fed me enough times over the last two years, it’s time for me to return the favor!”

That finally got a genuine smile out of her. “Ha! That’s because you always undercharge for your work! We’ve gotta pay you back somehow!” Her smile faded a bit as she realized she’d said “we” instead of “I.” But Julian noticed Vivian pull herself up a bit more as she continued, the grin returning to the corners of her mouth, “Though if what I’ve heard from your friends is true, I shouldn’t get my hopes up for anything besides scrambled eggs.”

He chuckled, “Hey, I’m not going to waste my culinary skills on those mooches! I’ll make you scrambled eggs AND toast!” That finally got the laugh he was hoping for. 


	2. Julian: Blood In The Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Julian notices something wrong.

Julian finished his work on the new light fixture, making sure it was fully operational before packing up his tools for the day. While it wasn’t a very old home - a modest rambler from the 60’s - the basement had some funky DIY electrical work from the previous owner that Julian was continually befuddled by: how many different ways could you wire a room?! 

He and Vivian had bantered for a bit more before she’d headed upstairs to put the freshly folded laundry away. They’d slipped into their old routine so easily, for just a moment it felt like nothing had changed. The scent of grief told his nose another story that he couldn’t ignore for long though. Grief...and something else? 

Julian hadn’t been a werewolf very long - just a hair under 5 years - so he was still getting the hang of his nose. There were days when it hit him how strange it was to be able to smell a lie, whether somebody was aroused, or any of the other information he was able to just immediately pick up about someone now just by getting a good whiff of them. 

He had simple emotions down pat at this point - he could easily distinguish between, say, sad and happy, but some of the subtler, more nuanced emotional states still took a little longer for him to sort out. It was making that connection between what his wolf smelled and what his human brain knew about people that could trip him up. The wolf didn’t think in terms of feelings in the same way that humans did - it lived in the here and now and didn’t think about the past all that much.

Both he and his wolf deeply cared about protecting people though - he was the second in his pack for a reason after all. Maybe a pack of his own someday, though at this point he didn’t want the extra headaches that would entail. 

Minnesota had a modest sized non-human community, though the various groups tried to keep to themselves for the most part. In the Twin Cities, the werewolves tended to live on the Minneapolis side of the river, with the fae based out of St. Paul. There was the occasional vampire, but the northern part of the state had a strong Native American preternatural presence, which discouraged the blood suckers from hanging around too long. Julian tried to not stick his nose in business not his, but he assumed there were probably other supernatural creatures scattered throughout the state he’d come to call home. It really wasn’t his problem - he preferred to leave the politics of interspecies relations in his Alpha Darren’s capable hands. He already had more than enough on his plate backing up Darren and dealing with his packmates.

A year and a half after he’d been Changed, Julian had joined the Minnesota pack, not even a full year after Charles Cornick executed three members for making a mess of killing a pedophile. They’d been sloppy, and it had been too soon after the werewolves had come out to the public; the Marrok hadn’t been able to ignore the mistake. That was part of the reason Julian had been able to rise so quickly to second in the last three years, as those killed had been fairly high in rank. Julian also suspected his stability and laid back demeanor had helped, as Darren needed to restore calm and a sense of order to the pack. Being level headed didn’t mean Julian wouldn’t hesitate to put an out of line wolf back in his place - he just didn’t have the nasty short temper that many dominant werewolves he knew seemed to constantly struggle with. But he certainly had the overwhelming urge to protect those weaker than him and those his wolf considered _his_. 

As Julian tidied up the laundry room, making sure he hadn’t left any bits of wiring on the floor, his brain turned over his earlier interaction with Vivian. Something kept bothering him about today, but he couldn’t put his finger on just what. His wolf stirred, antsy and uneasy, which was an unusual state to experience when he was in this house. The moon wasn’t full for another two and a half weeks, and he had just gone for a long run (on human legs) along the Mississippi River just the other day. Julian stretched his neck, feeling a couple pops release tension in his shoulders he hadn’t been aware of until just then. 

He’d just have to sleep on it, as he could drive himself crazy fixating on a scent he couldn’t parse. There was just something....familiar about it, though he couldn’t recall why. Maybe he’d give Darren a call tomorrow and see if it was something his Alpha could unravel.

Vivian called downstairs if he needed any help, and Julian let his worry slide from the front of his mind as he headed up the stairs. She didn’t need to see him stewing right now. He chatted with her as he tossed his trash outside in the garbage bin and loaded up his truck. Vivian’s grief seemed less overpowering than earlier, though maybe that was just being outside in the open air. As he got ready to go, she stood on the back step, her face covered in shadow, the light from inside the kitchen silhouetting her against the encroaching September evening.

“Hey, Julian?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you for your help.”

“Installing a light is no problem, V.”

“I didn’t mean just for today. Thank you for your help these last several months.”

“Hey, that’s what friends are for. I was serious earlier too - if you need anything, just let me know, okay? And I’m not just talking about house projects. I’m happy to listen if you need to talk. I know you’ve got a lot to deal with right now, but don’t feel like you have to carry that all by yourself.”

He heard her take a shaky breath, “...you’ve been a good friend. And I appreciate how you’ve been there since Connor....since Connor passed away. That’s meant a lot to me. Just know that you helped a lot.” Julian smelled the hint of gratitude mixed in with the sorrow and the other thing he couldn’t name as it drifted by his face. Vivian had her arms wrapped around herself - the wind shifted, and he couldn’t tell now if it was merely to ward off the cooling air or to keep her emotions contained. 

“Like I said, that’s what friends do - help each other. You and Connor welcomed me into your social circle when I didn’t have many friends here. Maybe you should host one of your game nights sometime soon - I bet it’d be good for you to see people.” It worried Julian that Vivian hadn’t been spending time with her friends; the house didn’t smell like anyone else besides him and a few of her immediate family members had been there recently. If she was a werewolf, he’d say she was pining - and that was a dangerous time to leave a wolf alone. 

“Thanks, Julian, that’s a good idea - I’ll do that.” He immediately smelled the lie. “Oh, by the way, do you still have that key we gave you a while ago?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah, do you need it back?”

“No, just wanted to make sure you have it if you need to get in to do any work if I’m not - around.” Vivian had paused oddly before that last word, but with the bright light behind her, Julian couldn’t make out her expression. 

“Are you okay, V?”

“Oh... just tired. I seem to fatigue out a lot faster these days. My energy always takes a dive once Fall begins. Gotta love chronic health issues! ” She jokingly swung her arm. “Anyways, I should let you get home though - have a good night!”

“Good night.” Julian called out as he got into his truck, “I’ll text you tomorrow about dinner sometime soon okay?”

“Sounds good to me, goodbye.”

++++

Julian punched his pillow and rolled over yet again. He glanced at the clock: 2:00am. He just couldn’t fall asleep - his wolf was restless tonight. He sighed and rubbed his face. Well, if he wasn’t going to sleep, may as well go for a run to burn off some energy. He’d go through the park and do a quick pass-by of Vivian’s house on his way back. 

Yes, that seemed to settle his wolf a bit. He’d been doing that somewhat regularly since Connor had died anyways: Julian liked to run late at night when he didn’t have to hide how fast he could move, and had taken to turning down Vivian’s street on his way home. The fact that she had health issues added to his concern about her safety living alone in that house. It wasn’t like their first ring suburb had that much crime, especially not Vivian’s block - a quiet dead end street that terminated at the neighborhood park. And Vivian wasn’t an invalid by any means - she mostly dealt with fatigue and chronic nerve pain as far as he knew - and she’d grown up in the inner city. But Julian still felt that need to watch out for and protect her as much as he could. 

As soon as he stepped outside and started running, Julian felt his mood lift. The wind in his face, the quiet of the night, and the rhythm of his feet hitting the ground immediately centered him. He didn’t have to think about anything else besides putting one foot in front of the other. Julian didn’t even have to consider his direction, as he had an established route through the neighborhood. It was a calm, cool night when it seemed like everyone in the world was asleep except him. Nothing out of the ordinary for one of his late night runs.

By the time Julian made his way out of the park and started down Vivian’s street, he’d mostly decided he had been worked up over nothing. He saw the front light on as usual at her house, though the back light was off tonight - _which wasn’t completely abnormal,_ he reminded his wolf. But his steps faltered as he noticed the little stained glass lamp that lived by the kitchen window (her fancy glorified night light, Vivian had always called it) wasn’t on. Julian sucked in a deep breath….and the hair stood up all over his body as his wolf went wild. 

The scent of blood hung heavy in the air.


	3. Julian: A Change

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Julian makes a grisly discovery at Vivian's house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please be aware, this chapter describes a suicide attempt. There is blood and some violence as well. If this is triggering for you, please skip this chapter - I will reference the important plot points in later chapters.  
> While I have tried not to be gratuitous, this is a pivotal moment in the story, and I didn't want to just gloss over it. As someone who was suicidal as a teenager, and has had family members die by suicide, I think it's an important subject to talk about and face.

Julian stood in the street, his whole body trembling, fighting his wolf to stay in control. There was a reason most werewolves didn’t live more than 10 years after being turned - they tended to get themselves killed by letting the wolf run away from them. Right now, his wolf wanted nothing more than to crash straight through the front door, fangs out, ready to kill anything in its way. _If Vivian was hurt, rushing headlong into a potentially deadly situation wasn’t going to help in any way_ , he scolded the wolf. That seemed to help - focusing on the instinct to protect, Julian felt the tremors in his limbs subside. 

He took another deep breath, his brain kicking back into gear, trying to see if he could scent anything more than the freshly spilled blood. He pivoted in place, quickly surveying the street for something amiss. Slipping into the hunt, Julian soundlessly ran up the driveway and past the back door, sweeping the backside of the house and yard for any signs of a break-in. Nothing was out of place, besides the unlit lamp. 

Sliding up to the dark doorway, he was supremely grateful that his Alpha had harped on him to _never_ go out running without his keys and phone. Julian could have easily torn through the steel door with his bare hands, but it was better to maintain the element of surprise, just in case there was anyone inside he needed to take out. 

Less than 30 seconds had passed from the first whiff of blood to turning the spare key in the lock. 

His alarm rose when only the door knob was locked - the deadbolt was already open. Vivian was very security conscious and always secured her house before she went to bed - she’d even insisted Julian put better quality locks on his own place, not knowing, as a werewolf, his home was well protected even if it was hanging wide open. 

Julian shut the door gently, crouching against the wall, and letting his heightened senses scan the inside of the house. The only sound was the steady hum of the bathroom fan - that must have been what pushed the smell of blood outside. He forced himself to stay in stillness for a few long seconds, double checking there were no new scents in the house since earlier that evening. Satisfied that no intruders were inside, only then did he free himself to move on silent feet through the living room and towards the slightly ajar bathroom door. 

The sight inside left him reeling back against the sink, groping to hold himself upright. His brain struggled to comprehend what he was seeing. _No. No. No! NoNoNONONO!_ Vivian was curled up in the bathtub, blood streaking towards the drain from her bleeding forearms. His blazing yellow eyes took in the bloody knife and empty pill bottle on the floor, the envelope on the sink with _I’m so sorry_ scrawled across the front. Even in the dim glow from the night light on the wall, he could see her face was white, her lips blue. _Pale, she was too pale!!_ He couldn’t breathe, couldn’t form coherent thoughts. _How long had she been bleeding?_ A whimper escaped his throat as he fell to his knees next to the tub, the sound of his own racing heart roaring in his ears. _Was she still breathing?!_

“Connor?” It was faint, barely above a breath - if he didn’t have werewolf sharp ears, Julian wouldn’t have been able to hear it. He suddenly could feel the tears streaming down his face.

“No, Vivian, it’s just me, Julian.” 

“..oh...not...who I was expecting...tonight.”

Anger suddenly flared up through his chest and into his throat. Snarling, he spat out, “ _Oh_ ?! Expecting to just _give up and die_ instead?” He gritted his teeth, trying not to scream. “Do you really not know how many people love you, that you thought this was your only option?!”

“It’s...not - I know...they care.” Vivian shivered, the blood oozing out a little faster from her wrists. “But I can’t...I just can’t…” Tears trickled down her face. “I’m not...strong enough. Not by myself….And I was already...dying anyways.”

He felt his stomach drop, only managing to choke out, “What?” 

She finally opened her eyes and blearily looked at him, her dark brown eyes black in the dim light. Her voice was a little stronger, “My body’s been...breaking down for...a while.” She gave a weak cough, closed her eyes and moaned. “Haven’t been able...to feel my feet...for years...Sometimes my hands….don’t work right….It’s like living...a slow motion car wreck...every day.” Vivian gave a faint gasp and Julian heard her heartbeat stutter. He was running out of time. 

“I can make you strong.”

“...what?”

“If you want it - I can make you strong. You’ll never have to worry about being weak again. And you’ll never have to struggle all alone.” He could hear her breath getting more shallow. “Vivian!”

“....okay…if you can do that….then, yes.”

Julian was already stripped out of his clothes and starting to change before she finished. He didn’t have much time - and it usually took 15 minutes for him to fully shift to wolf. Tonight, he would need to change fast, faster than he ever had. He pulled, _hard,_ at the pack bonds, hoping his Alpha would answer his call for help. For a long, agonizing moment, he didn’t feel anything - and then power sizzled through the connection, pouring into him. He threw open the bond as wide as he could, taking in as much as Darren and his packmates would give him.

A strangled cry more wolf than human escaped his mouth. _Goddamnit, it hurt_ . This wasn’t the usual pain of shifting - he could feel his body screaming in protest at the speed of his change tonight. He’d worry about the consequences later. For right now, his focus narrowed to the dying woman beside him. With everything in him, Julian willed her to keep breathing, keep holding on, to not let go. _He couldn’t lose her too_. 

He clawed at the pack bonds, begging for more speed even as his body writhed on the floor. He could feel his Alpha’s concern, the worry from his packmates. What was going on that he needed so much? 

Four minutes. Five minutes. Through his own gasps and groans, Julian focused on Vivian’s belabored breathing. Six minutes. Seven. At eight minutes, he wobbled to his feet, the change not quite completed, ignoring the stabbing pain shooting up all four legs. He leaned over the edge of the tub, taking stock of the frail body curled up below his snout. He opened his mouth, revealing sharp fangs, but hesitated. 

He’d never Changed anyone before - wasn’t supposed to. That was the Marrok’s jurisdiction. There were rules in place, protocol to follow if someone wanted to be Changed. They were supposed to go through a whole vetting process to know what they were getting into by becoming a werewolf. Like the wolf who had attacked him, Julian could be killed for forcing a Change like this. But tonight the rules didn’t matter. Julian didn’t care about anything other than saving this precious life in front of him. _She deserves joy and happiness,_ not a hopeless end, bleeding out on the floor. 

His fangs cut down into her right bicep. He knew she had to actually be dying from werewolf inflicted wounds for the Change to happen - it couldn’t just be one bite added onto other mortal injuries. He bit her shoulder twice, staying away from the major arteries in her neck. Vivian moaned weakly but didn’t move. He was thankful she was already so out of it - hopefully this wouldn’t be as traumatic for her as his Change had been. Julian moved onto her legs, biting into both thighs twice. Finally, he sank his fangs into the soft part of her stomach. The taste of her blood filled his mouth, burning across his tongue. 

He whined, quickly let go and sat back, hoping it had been enough to start the Change but not enough to outright kill. His mouth felt weird - he’d tasted human blood before, but this was different. He sneezed and pawed at his snout. Something buzzed across his tongue and down his throat. Perhaps it was a side effect from his pack assisted shifting? He felt faint, panting as the pack bonds receded to their normal levels and the energy he’d been given faded. 

Julian clumsily flopped down on the floor, his head resting on the edge of the tub, his back against the toilet - it was a narrow bathroom, especially for a large werewolf. He curled his tail around and tucked his paws, settling in to keep watch. _How long before the Change took effect?_ He didn’t remember his own Changing beyond the abject terror and pain, the faces of those who hadn’t lived through the attack floating across his mind. _Would Vivian hate him for what he’d done?_

He felt the air stir in the room. _Had it worked?_ His ears flicked forward: Vivian shakily took a breath. Another. Power rippled across his fur. He saw the blood slow then stop oozing from some of her wounds. She inhaled again - deeper, stronger. She coughed and whimpered, clenched her fists, her body contracting into a tighter ball. He gave a quiet woof, trying to get her attention, needing to know if she was okay. 

  
Her eyes slit open. Bright blue eyes stared into his gold. _I knew it_ , his wolf proclaimed triumphantly.


	4. Vivian: What Just Happened?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vivian wakes up with questions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please be aware, there is a brief mention of suicide and blood in this chapter.

The first thing Vivian became aware of was that the ringing in her ears had disappeared. She’d had tinnitus since high school - the constant sound just part of her daily background noise at this point. She got about two seconds to appreciate the newfound silence before her whole body started shaking, shards of burning ice exploding inside her limbs. Her back involuntarily arched, her body instinctually trying to get away from the searing agony crawling up her arms and legs. A strangled cry from the shock and pain was cut short by a fresh eruption of agonizing fire in her chest. 

“V! Vivian!” Julian’s voice broke through her distress, grounding her to something besides the torment wracking her body. “Listen to me. You’re going to be okay.“ She gasped, trying to fight off the fireworks of pain detonating in her hands and feet. It felt like all her nerves were dying at once. His voice sounded rough - was he hurt too? Vivian couldn’t remember what she had been doing before this, _what had happened?_ She couldn’t think, couldn’t focus, couldn’t get air into her lungs. She grabbed at her head; it felt like her brain was splitting in two. A guttural cry escaped her throat.

“ _V_ _ivian Marie Carter. Look at me._ ” Power washed through her, compelling her eyelids to snap open. She stared into bright golden eyes. “ _Breathe.”_ She sucked in a deep breath and shakily blew it out. A gentle hand rested on her head. “That’s better. You’re safe, okay? I need you to go back to sleep for now. Your body needs to heal some more.” Confusion clouded her face, but before she could say anything, power rolled over her again. “ _Sleep._ ” Unconsciousness pulled her back down into darkness.

Vivian didn’t know how much time passed. She slept, deep and dreamless, floating in nothingness. She came to for brief moments: a glass of water held to her parched mouth; someone wiping her feverish face, murmured words of encouragement sliding past her ears; snatches of a conversation, an unfamiliar man’s voice fading in and out.

++++

The darkness receded, and Vivian came to, tucked in her own bed. A faint tingle of pins and needles buzzed in her hands and feet. Sunlight shone through the curtains. _How long had she been out?_ Reaching for her phone on the bedside table, she was surprised to find it wasn’t there. She never went to bed without it next to her. Her confusion deepened as she realized she was wearing a pair of shorts and one of Connor’s old t-shirts, the material slightly scratchy against her skin. She had never slept in his clothes. _What was going on?_

She rolled to the side of the bed closest to the bathroom, her bladder needing release. The sight of her and Connor’s wedding rings stacked neatly together next to a photo from their last anniversary on his bedside table brought her to a stop. _Why had she taken off her wedding ring?_ Vivian urgently needed to pee, and then she could sort this all out. She swung her legs down to the floor, stood up, and then immediately collapsed in a heap. 

“What the fuck?” Her voice came out a harsh rasp.

Quick footsteps made their way from the kitchen towards her room, Julian’s concerned voice ringing out, “V, are you alright?!” _What was he doing in her house?_

She rolled onto her back, trying to get her unresponsive limbs to cooperate. “Urgh…” She tilted her head back to see Julian run into view. Looking at him upside down from her prone position, she couldn’t make out the emotions playing across his face. Clearing her dry throat, Vivian said the first thing that popped into her brain: “A little help? I would really prefer not to pee on the floor right now.”

“I leave you alone for two seconds, and you fall out of bed, huh?” She frowned, her brain trying to make sense of what was going on. His voice sounded strange - he was trying to force a jovial tone and not quite succeeding. “Alright, let’s get you up.” Julian leaned down and gently scooped Vivian up with no effort at all. She knew she wasn’t heavy, but still, she didn’t think she was _that_ lightweight.

Her head spun a bit as he moved towards the bathroom. She pinched her nose and said, “Okay, I need to pee first, and then you’re going to explain _what the hell_ is going on here.”

“You don’t remember anything?” He set her down, making sure she had a good grip on the bathroom sink. 

“No?” She gingerly stepped forwards, keeping a hand on the sink edge. Over her shoulder, she said, “Go out, please - I prefer not having an audience while I’m on the toilet.”

Julian stilled behind her, and then _growled_ . He abruptly turned, stepped out of the room, and carefully shut the door behind him. _What the hell was that?_ Vivian plopped down hard on the seat, her wobbly legs giving out, her bladder now freed to empty itself. She took a shaky breath and blew it out. Her nose wrinkled at the strong smells assaulting it. _Why did it smell so weird in here today?_ She scanned the room, trying to calm her racing mind. Her eye caught on a small, dark stain in the tub. _Was that...blood?_

And then it all came rushing back. 

The memories flashed through her head: The utter despair and hopelessness that had overwhelmed her that night; scratching out a note that she was sorry, so very sorry; the pills to calm her nerves and slow her heart; the knife in her hands, the blood running down her arms; the resignation that she was dying...and the regret that had shot through her heart at the end, as she watched her life bleed down the bathtub drain. 

But Julian had found her, hadn’t he? Vivian looked down at her forearms, running her fingers across the skin - only slight bumps remained of the deep cuts she’d made. _How...how was she still alive?_ She was so out of it when he’d appeared, barely conscious. _What had he done to save her?_ The last thing she remembered was him saying he could make her strong. Her hand drifted to her right shoulder, a faint echo of pain there. 

She could sense Julian just outside the door, leaning against the wall, silent and waiting for her. He was...impatient, agitated, worried, and heartsick. _How could she tell all that through a closed door?_ She clasped her hands over her mouth to stifle a whine trying to force its way out. 

Pulling herself up to her feet with the support of the solidly anchored vanity, she groaned, flushed the toilet, and then splashed water on her face. She heard Julian shift his weight and step forward. “Give - give me a minute, okay? I’m almost done.” He grunted and settled back. 

Vivian glanced in the mirror and gasped. The eyes gazing back at her were bright blue.


	5. Vivian: Answers But Even More Questions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Buckle up, it's a long one! Julian's got some explaining to do as he stuffs Vivian full of food. Exposition brunch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mentions of suicide and blood.

Her head spinning, Vivian grabbed for the bathroom door. “Julian! What -” And then everything blinked out for what felt like only a second. One moment she was standing in the bathroom, her hand on the door handle. And then the next, she found herself wrapped up in Julian’s arms, both of them kneeling on the floor in the hallway, her face buried in his shoulder as he crooned soothing sounds to her. 

Vivian released the death grip she suddenly realized her hands had on his shirt. Gulping in air, she tried to focus. _Why couldn’t she think?_ It felt like her brain was going to explode. 

“That’s right, V, just breath,” he said. “It’ll settle down in a moment.”

She breathed in and out a few times, letting her heart rate settle. She eventually lifted her head from his shoulder to look at his face and then stiffened as her gaze locked on his. “Wha - why are your eyes yellow?” she whispered.

Dropping his eyes and turning his face away from hers, he quietly said, “The same reason yours are blue right now.” He looked back to her, and she watched the gold in his eyes begin fading into their usual warm caramel color. “I’m a werewolf. And now so are you.”

Julian loosened his arms, and Vivian sat down on the floor with a hard thump. Her mouth hung open, and words completely escaped her, “I - what - uhh…oh..wow.” Raking her hands through her hair, Vivian tried to form a coherent thought. “Holy shit,” she breathed out. This time a little louder, “Holy fucking shit.” She put her face down into her hands and said softly, “Oh my god, Julian. A werewolf?” 

He started to apologize, “I’m so sorry, V. You were dying…and I just couldn’t lose you too.”

“A werewolf,” she said again in a shocked whisper, her face still in her hands. 

“Vivian, I -”  
“You’re a werewolf.” She felt like a broken record, but nothing else would come out of her mouth. At last a question surfaced in her brain, “Not fae?”

He was taken aback, “What? No. I’m not fae.” He paused for a moment, and then slowly said, “Wait, did you think I was?”

“Um, yeah?” Vivian finally lifted her head back up to look at him. “What else was I supposed to think? You’re incredibly strong but hide it. I saw you cut yourself once, and it almost instantly stopped bleeding and was completely healed within a few seconds. You touched that cross in our living room, and I saw it burn your fingers.”

“It’s made of silver.”

“What?”

“The cross. It’s made of silver, that’s why it burned me. Has nothing to do with the shape. Crosses don’t do anything to fae anyways - that’s vampires you’re thinking of.”

Vivian weakly said, “Vampires are real too?”

“Uh, crap. Yes, sorry to say, they’re real.” 

“Just great.” She covered her face with her hands again. “Next thing you’ll tell me is that the Easter Bunny is real too, huh?”

He huffed out a short laugh and settled down on the floor next to her, both of them leaning back against the wall. “Not as far as I’m aware. But there is a big world of weird and dangerous things out there that I’ve just dumped you into.”

“I’m not completely clueless, Julian. Everyone knows there are fae and werewolves. Though apparently I have some of my info wrong.” She shrugged a little, and continued, “I’m friends with a few people who I know are at least part fae, like Meghan.”

Julian smiled as he said, “Your Irish friend who just instantly delights everyone whenever she walks into a room? Yeah, that one’s pretty obvious. She’s gotta be descended from a greenman with charisma like that.”

“And I know about witches,” Vivian said flatly. 

Julian raised his eyebrows in surprise, and softly asked, “How do you know about witches?” His eyes streaked with yellow as he tilted his head at her. “Because you definitely aren’t one, and neither is anyone in your family. I would have been able to smell that instantly.” He tapped his nose when she looked at him quizzically. “Werewolves can smell a lot of things - emotions, lies, and definitely black magic. It reeks like a dumpster full of rotting garbage. It’s not an easy smell to get rid of.”

She sighed and scrubbed her face. “...I’m not supposed to talk about it. With anyone. Ever. Connor barely even knew about it, because it was so dangerous. But I suppose if I’m actually a frickin’ _werewolf_ now, it doesn’t matter so much.” Just then, Vivian’s stomach growled loudly, and she felt a whine bubble up out of her mouth. “Ugh, but first, I really need something to eat. I’m starving. I feel like I haven’t had anything to eat for days.”

“That’s because you haven’t eaten for three days,” Julian said as he stood to his feet. 

“ _What_?! Okay, mister, I think you are going to have to start from the beginning and explain what the hell has been going on, because I thought it was Friday.” 

Julian reached down to help Vivian to her feet, and then scooped her up to carry her once she shook her head. Her legs still didn’t want to cooperate. As he headed towards the kitchen, he said, “I went out for a late run on Thursday night - well, technically _very_ early Friday morning - and found you dying in the bathtub after I could smell your blood from the street.” When she looked up in confusion, he said, “Werewolf nose, remember? I had smelled something off about you when I was here installing your light, but couldn’t figure out what it was. I now realize it was your wanting to…” he trailed off, and then forced out, “Your wanting to die. You’d already made up your mind at that point, hadn’t you?” 

Vivian felt her face flood with shame as Julian set her down in one of the chairs at the kitchen table. The hurt on his face was hard to bear. “Yes,” she mumbled. She sagged in her chair, leaning against the table. “I’d been thinking about it for a while,” she admitted, picking at a loose thread on the hem of her shirt. He turned away to grab the egg carton and two packages of bacon sitting on the counter. Vivian realized he must have been starting breakfast right before she woke up. She glanced at the clock and saw that it read 3:30pm. _Okay, maybe it’s brunch then_ , she thought. “So you found me...then what?”

Julian sighed as he started cracking a full carton of eggs into a big glass bowl, his back still to her. She could see his shoulders tightening. “You were dying, Vivian. If I had been even 10 minutes later, you wouldn’t be sitting here right now. You wouldn’t have survived if I’d called an ambulance. So I asked you if you wanted to live, and when you said yes, I Changed you.” 

“You said you could make me strong,” she said quietly. “And that I wouldn’t ever have to be all alone again.”

He paused mixing the eggs, glancing over his shoulder at her. She saw his eyes were completely yellow again, and dropped her face down from his intense gaze. “ _So I did what I said_.” The voice that came out of his mouth was not Julian’s. Vivian looked up in surprise, and caught him shivering for a moment. He blinked a few times, and his eyes flickered back to light brown streaked with some gold. “Sorry, I usually have better control than this.” He rolled his shoulders as he set the bowl down and moved on to efficiently laying out bacon on a few cookie sheets. “So I offered you the option to live, and you were willing to take it. I had to shift - get into my wolf form - to Change you. It’s not like the movies where one scratch or bite is all it takes. Someone has to be dying from werewolf bites for the Change to actually take place. And most people die from their wounds before that happens. Women survive at much lower rates than men.” He paused and glanced at her again, his expression somber. “But I was willing to risk it, since it was either let you continue bleeding out or give you a chance, however small, to live.” 

The oven was already preheated, so Julian put all three sheets of bacon in to cook and then began to heat up the biggest frying pan Vivian owned. The eggs poured in with a hiss and he started scrambling them. Vivian twisted in her seat and opened the freezer behind her, pulling a bag of breakfast sausage from the door. She tossed it to Julian, and he caught it without looking. “Good idea,” he said as he leaned down to pull out another frying pan from the cupboard. “You need all the protein you can get.” 

She laid her head down on her forearms resting on the table, turning her face to watch him cook. “So you obviously bit me enough to make this Change happen. And then…?”

“Umm, well, we both passed out for about a day,” he said, and she saw the tips of his ears go slightly red. _Was he...embarrassed?_ “It usually takes me around 15 minutes to shift to wolf, and I just didn’t have time for that. So I asked for a little help from my pack to speed things up.”

“Okay, we’ll have to get back to what a werewolf pack is and what shifting is like later. I’m guessing there’s a shit ton I need to learn,” she said somewhat drowsily. It felt good to sit in the sun with the smell of food filling the air. 

“Yup, there is indeed a ‘shit ton’ you need to know about being a werewolf. Don’t worry, I’ll teach you the ropes,” Julian said as he plopped silverware and dishes on the table. “Anyways, I was able to shift in about 8 minutes with the pack’s help...but there’s consequences for doing something like that. I passed out immediately after you Changed, and didn’t wake up until the following afternoon. You apparently also conked out, as you were still laying in the tub when I woke up. You were covered in blood, and I could barely move my tail. I couldn’t shift back to human at first, though I was definitely trying my damndest.” He bit off a growl, and finished cooking the eggs. “It wasn’t until later that night that I was finally able to shift again. It must have taken me half an hour,” he said irritably. 

“Um, I take it that it isn't particularly enjoyable when that happens?” Vivian asked as she pushed herself back up to sitting. She really needed to eat before she let herself fall asleep again. 

“No. It is not.” Julian said tartly and started piling eggs onto her plate. “Eat. The bacon and sausage will be done soon.”

Vivian took a bite and then started shoveling in bites as fast as she could chew. There were moments where she had to stop and remind herself how to hold a fork, as it felt like her brain kept spacing out. When she wasn’t trying to move, it felt like her body could catch up with what her brain wanted it to do. 

Julian heaped bacon and sausage on her plate as soon as there was space. He asked, “Oh hey, what’s your least favorite mug?”

Between bites she said, “Uh, the one with the creepy Santa face on it in the very back. One of Connor’s coworkers gave it to him, and he wouldn’t let me get rid of it. I haven’t gotten around to donating it, because I didn’t want to inflict that creepiness on anyone else.” 

Julian chuckled as he reached to the back of the cabinet. “Creepy Santa mug it is then.” He made Vivian half a cup of tea and set it down next to her plate, thankfully turning the creepy face part away from her. “So you are way stronger now. It’s going to be really easy to break stuff until you’ve adjusted to it. Let’s start with this cup, since it sounds like you won’t be that sad if it gets broken.”

“I may just break it on purpose, it really is horrendous,” Vivian said with a grin. She went back to eating and asked, “So you were finally able to shift back late on Friday night? And I was still passed out?” 

Julian made a plate for himself, and then topped off Vivian’s with another heaping serving of everything. “Yes. I got us both cleaned up once I could walk again. Waking up around blood, let alone covered in dried blood, would not be a good idea for a newly Changed werewolf.” 

Vivian spaced out again for a few moments, frowning as she tried to get her hand to bring the fork back up to her mouth. Once she was eating again, she asked, “So that was Friday. You said three days?”

“Yes, today is Sunday.” He pushed the mug towards her, “Try and drink something.” 

Vivian gingerly slid her hand around the mug and lifted it carefully. _So far, so good._ She took several big gulps, almost draining it, and then snapped the handle clean off when she set it back down, a big crack running up the whole length of the cup. She went back to inhaling her food as fast as possible. 

Julian smiled and took the broken mug and tossed it in the trash. He continued, “Told ya. Anyways, I got you into bed, but you woke up really agitated and in a lot of pain, so I sent you back to sleep. And then I fell asleep myself. I called my Alpha Darren late on Saturday morning when I woke up to let him know what had happened. He’s the one responsible for the wolves here in the Twin Cities area. He obviously knew something had happened, since he passed power from the pack to me. While there are pack bonds, it’s not like a telephone where we can tell each other things clearly with words. Closer to the full moon, he could have been able to tell exactly where I was. But he only knew that I was in need, that I took care of the situation, and then that I was recovering. And you can’t really text or use a phone with paws.” He shrugged, and then glanced at Vivian’s plate. She nodded, though she could feel herself getting sleepier. He refilled her plate again. “So I told Darren I had Changed you, that everything was under control for now, and that if I needed any help I would call him. But he still insisted on swinging by just to make sure I was okay.” Vivian recalled the man’s voice she’d heard in her dreams. “He also wanted to see you, and make sure I knew what to watch for, since I’ve never Changed anyone before.”

Vivian looked up at him in surprise, her fork pausing midway to her mouth. “Really?” she said.

Julian scratched the back of his head and looked away, his face grim, “It’s not...something you’re really supposed to do. If you hadn’t been dying, I would have been killed for forcing someone to Change. There’s a whole bunch of werewolf rules, and that’s a big one.”

Vivian had so many questions she wanted to ask right then, but she could feel sleep creeping back over her. She pushed her now empty plate away and stretched her arms over her head. “Uhm, I really need to know more, but...I think I’m going to pass out. This is going to be like the worst food coma of all time.” She could feel her eyelids drooping already. 

Julian chuckled as he cleaned their plates off the table. “Yeah, you’re probably going to sleep for another day. It’s really common after being Changed to sleep a bunch.”

Vivian felt him pick her up, and was soundly asleep before he had the chance to lay her in bed.


	6. Vivian: The Wolf Awakes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vivian meets someone new.

Vivian drifted back into consciousness, relaxed and cozy in her bed. She stretched, taking stock of the state of her body, enjoying the pain free movement in her limbs. _When was the last time she’d been able to move without any pain - high school?_ She made a fist with one hand, pleasantly surprised at the steadiness and strength she could feel in her fingers. 

She turned her head and grimaced when her nose got closer to her pillow - she realized a shower was definitely in order. Julian may have gotten her cleaned up somewhat, but she could smell sweat, dried blood, and a whole stew of unpleasant scents that she couldn’t name. She lifted her arm and gave it an experimental sniff. _Yup, that was definitely what she smelled like right now._ If this was Monday morning, she hadn’t had a shower in over four days. 

Vivian ran her hands down her face, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. She finally felt like she could think clearly again. There was _a lot_ she needed to process. Her world had been completely upended for the second time in less than six months. Julian was a werewolf. _She_ was a werewolf. _What did it even mean to be a werewolf?_ She had so many questions. And there was still the matter of explaining to Julian how she knew of witches. 

A quiet snore pulled Vivian from her thoughts, and she glanced over towards the bedroom door. Julian was sound asleep, his tall muscular frame stretched out in an accent chair he’d pulled in from her living room; arms crossed over his chest, his legs propped up on Connor’s bedside table blocked the doorway. Vivian pushed herself up and just sat there for a moment, taking a look at the man who’d pulled her back from the brink of death. 

In this unguarded moment, he looked so young and vulnerable. He was in jeans and a form fitting green t-shirt today. There were dark circles under his eyes, and several days’ worth of stubble on his normally clean shaven face. His dark hair, kept short on the sides and longer on top, was unkempt. She knew he’d want a haircut soon, as it was starting to get curly; Vivian had commented once it was a nice look for him, and he’d just chuckled and rolled his eyes. He’d retorted that the cuteness of his hairstyle was not what his clients paid him for, and besides, he’d continued, it was a pain to clean drywall dust, paint, and who-knows-what-else out of longer hair. 

Vivian had always appreciated the banter and easy rapport that had sprung up so naturally when she’d first met Julian. She could tell within five minutes of meeting a person whether she wanted to be friends with them, and if so, would go about making it happen. If she enjoyed hanging out with someone, Connor pretty much always did too and vice versa - they’d always liked the same kinds of people, it made making friends so easy. She had just instantly clicked with Julian and then so had Connor. He’d been folded so easily into their friend group over the last couple years, coming to game nights and bonfires, dinner parties and movie nights. He was a good guy - kind, thoughtful, quietly protective of the people he cared about, willing to lend a hand to those in need. She had thought she knew him fairly well - even trying to set him up with one of her sisters once. But...and her brows furrowed...apparently she didn’t know him as well as she’d thought. _A werewolf, this whole time? Was that why he’d moved to Minnesota, when he didn’t have any family or friends here?_

Julian shifted and muttered in his sleep, as if he could feel Vivian’s eyes on him. She turned her gaze away, slightly self-conscious that she’d been staring at him so intently. She blew out a breath and looked down at herself. Enough trying to second guess things, there would be time to figure out her new world later. First things first, she needed to get out of these clothes, take a nice, long shower, and then go from there.

Vivian silently slipped out of bed, happy to discover her legs were functioning again, and pulled a fresh outfit from her dresser. She padded over to the door and started stepping over Julian’s legs. A gentle but firm grip on her arm made her pause. She saw one golden eye slit open to peer at her, though nothing had changed about his breathing and he hadn’t moved otherwise.

“I’m not running off anywhere. I just really need a shower,” she murmured softly to him. He blinked sleepily at her, and then carefully released her arm. 

Vivian shut the bathroom door with a sigh of relief, taking a moment to lean her back against it. She’d been able to walk just fine, with no dizziness or spacing out. Her legs felt steady - stronger, actually, than they’d felt in...a very, very long time. It had been years since she’d felt comfortable walking barefoot. She’d slowly been losing feeling and strength in her hands and feet since she was 15: first the nerve pain and then the ensuing numbness creeping into her fingers and toes, destructive flames licking up her arms and legs inch by inch over the past 20 years. She stood there for a minute, savoring the feeling of being able to flex different muscles without pain. 

Stripping off Connor’s old shirt and kicking her shorts to the floor, Vivian stepped in front of the mirror, taking stock of the state she was in. Fingers drifted to spots where she had a vague recollection of pain and blood. No marks remained on her body, not even a single bruise. Her eyes narrowed. Her face looked noticeably smoother and tighter. In fact, she was missing several nicks and scars - she checked for the little indent hidden just inside her hairline and lifted her right foot to feel for the bump on the inside of her arch. The skin was completely smooth and unbroken. “Huh,” she huffed out, bemused. Another question added to her growing list to ask Julian later. She knew werewolves healed faster than normal, but it was slightly disconcerting to see in action. 

Vivian vigorously scratched her fingers back and forth through her auburn hair several times. It was much curlier than Julian’s, though it was currently cropped far shorter than she usually kept it. A month after Connor’s death she’d cut it all off by herself one day, leaving about an inch or two on her head. She’d told her family that she’d let herself mourn until it grew back, but really, she’d just been too despondent and out of it to maintain basic hygiene in those first few months. Short hair helped hide the lack of personal care. If she was honest, she hadn’t planned to live long enough for it to grow out again. 

She gripped the sides of the sink, sighed and closed her eyes for a moment, not exactly sure what she was feeling. When she opened them again, Vivian saw her eyes, normally so dark they looked black, were bleeding into that vivid blue again. She tilted her head, letting it happen without concern; Julian was on the other side of the wall if she needed help. She felt something flicker to life inside her, a presence uncurling in her chest. Vivian continued to steadily stare into her own eyes - she watched as they shifted fully to blue, not a hint of brown left. 

_So sad,_ floated through her head. _Alone? No one runs with you?_ a voice whispered.

“Who are you?” Vivian whispered back breathlessly. She didn’t feel afraid - this wasn’t like the anxiety that used to drown her a decade ago, leaving her shivering in fear. Those days felt so far away right now, like an old song she could barely remember.

 _Wolf_ , came the answer. _Yours._

Vivian gasped softly. One hand reached towards the mirror, fingers gingerly touching the glass, feeling as if she would fall through if she pushed too hard. The other hand slid up to rest on her cheek. 

“Yes, I’m sad,” she whispered. She could feel the grief still burning through her heart, the emptiness a sucking hole inside her. Tears slid down her face. “I lost him forever. I wasn’t ready to -” She choked on a silent sob. A swirl of memories and emotions flashed through her mind. All that she’d lost. Feeling her life stretch out in front of her with the light gone. The darkness yawning to swallow everything left within her. The wolf didn’t need the words to understand.

 _Mate_ , her wolf crooned. 

“Yes, he was,” Vivian answered. “It’s so hard to want to go on without him.” She wasn’t sure if she was even speaking anymore, all she could hear was the woosh of her heartbeat in her ears. 

She felt the wolf fill her, breathing fresh light into her soul. _But we will. There is so much left. Do you not want to see what comes next?_

“I don’t know,” she breathed. “I don’t want to walk alone.”

 _Not alone_ , the wolf whispered back. Memories and faces flickered through her mind: her parents, her sisters and brother...family and friends, near and far...Connor kissing her goodbye for the last time, his love evident...Julian, asking if she wanted to be strong, promising that she would never have to be alone.

Her wolf sang to her of strength, of the hunt, of the moon, of pack, of love yet to be while not forgetting what had been lost. Vivian felt power flare up through her feet and course into her body. Yes, she would not forget, but she could still live. She was still standing, wasn’t she? 

_We will run_ _together,_ the wolf jubilantly howled within her. 

“We will run together,” Vivian agreed. 

She felt the wolf’s presence fade from her awareness, though its song still hummed through her veins - the emptiness inside her felt a little smaller now. Vivian watched her eyes shimmer back to brown, flecks of blue still sparkling in her dark eyes like stars. 

She started the water and stepped into the shower. Maybe there was something to look forward to after all.


	7. Julian: Knacks & Witches

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Julian finds out how Vivian knows about witches.

Julian woke to the sound of the shower running, and immediately noticed Vivian’s house felt different. The heavy air of grief had lifted just a bit while he slept, and he now sensed a faint whisper of the peace that used to make this house feel like coming home. His wolf gave a satisfied sigh, the first time since Thursday night Julian felt that part of himself settle down. To be honest, it was the first time in almost six months he felt something tight inside him begin to loosen. 

Julian had not slept much the last few nights, waking up frequently to make sure Vivian was alright. Normally a newly made werewolf would be under the watchful care of the nearest Alpha; especially for an unexpected Change, like hers had been, the new wolf half could easily get out of control without a firm hand to rein it in. But Julian strongly suspected that Vivian wouldn’t fight the usual volatility recently Changed wolves struggled with. The little he’d seen of her wolf so far made him agree with his wolf’s assessment that she was a special case. 

Darren had confirmed that she seemed to be managing well when he’d stopped by on Saturday, and had ordered Julian to contact him if anything changed for the worse. Before he’d left, Darren had said, “I’ll not have Bran breathing down my neck and sending Charles again, because I didn’t do the ‘proper thing’ when one of my wolves stepped out of line. You’re a calm, reliable second, Julian, and we’ve sorely needed that these last few years. I’d prefer to not have more turmoil in the pack, because you went and got yourself killed for doing something like this. Officially, for now, I don’t know about any of it.” 

Julian had looked at his Alpha in shock and opened his mouth to speak, but Darren stopped him. “Don’t thank me just yet, pup. You Changed her, she’s your problem. If she goes off the rails, it’s your responsibility to take care of. Do you understand?” Julian had bowed his head and silently nodded. A werewolf who couldn’t control their wolf was not allowed to live. And there was much less grace now for screw-ups then when he’d first been Changed. 

Darren had closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose as he continued, “I will claim ignorance about this until my monthly call with Bran next week. And, lord help me, if she really is an Omega ….that’s a whole can of worms I don’t want to open with the Marrok if I don’t have to.”

Julian was taken aback, and asked, “I thought Omegas were a rare gift to any pack - there’s only, what, two in the whole world? Wouldn’t that be someone we’d want here?”

Darren had growled as he said, “You’d think so. But after what happened to Charles’ mate Anna in her first pack, Bran was emphatic that it would never happen again. Any pack that hides or hurts an Omega will be summarily executed. It’s not common knowledge to anyone besides the Alphas - what’s the point when it’s such a vanishingly rare occurrence? It’d be like me telling you there’s a rule for what to do if you get hit by lightning.”

Julian sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, sore from sleeping in a too small chair for the last few nights. He knew it would dissipate as soon as he got up and started moving - werewolf bodies didn’t hang on to aches and pains for long - but he didn’t want to shatter the fragile calm just yet. It felt delicate as a soap bubble, ready to break at the slightest touch. 

He glanced at the alarm clock - 8:30am - and stretched his legs out a little more. He’d get up and start breakfast soon...but for just a few more moments, he’d bask in this hardwon peace. He shut his eyes and continued listening to the shower. Vivian could take as long as she wanted, Julian would wait all day if he needed to. He was just incredibly grateful that she was still alive to take a shower. 

++++

The back door clicking shut was what woke him the second time, and Julian was instantly on his feet running towards the kitchen. Through the window over the sink, he caught a glimpse of Vivian in the backyard. He needed to get her back inside quickly, before her wolf took over. The urge to run or hunt was very difficult for a new werewolf to fight if they were outside alone. 

Julian ran out the door, slowing only momentarily to make sure the storm door closed silently behind him. Not knowing who was currently in control, he didn’t want to startle Vivian’s wolf into fighting. He rounded the corner of the house and immediately skidded to a halt. 

She was just...standing there. Her back to him, wet hair dripping water onto her shoulders, hands open and relaxed at her sides, face tilted up to the morning sun streaming into the yard. She was dressed in a loose, pale purple t-shirt and dark leggings that looked like they had purple and white paint splatters on them. Her bare feet curled into the still-green grass. Julian saw her breathe in deeply and let it out with a long, satisfied sigh. 

He drew on the pack magic to make sure no one would notice them or pay attention to any noises in the backyard. Julian moved closer and then noticed the little green vines slowly curling around her ankles. “Are - are those plants growing up your legs?” he asked softly.

Vivian opened her eyes and looked down, lifting her left leg experimentally. A tiny vine with small pale leaves hung off her foot. “Huh, I guess it is,” she said. She looked up at Julian, and dark eyes streaked with blue met his gold flecked ones. Something passed across her face too quickly for him to read, and then she looked down again and sighed. 

“I wasn’t lying to you when I said my body was breaking down,” she said quietly. “I haven’t been able to feel grass under my feet for at least a decade. I lost the ability to move any of my toes several years ago. I knew it wouldn’t be that much longer until I couldn’t walk anymore.” Vivian bent down and picked the vine off her left foot, wrapping it around her fingers. “My world felt like it got smaller every year. The list of things I used to be able to do kept getting longer,” she continued, still crouching down. “The reason we hosted things here all the time was because it was so tiring for me to go anywhere else. If my energy crashed, I was already home and could go straight to bed if I needed to.”

Julian blinked with surprise. “I didn’t know that,” he said.

Vivian continued winding the little vine through her fingers. “I stopped talking about it to most people. It just makes them sad when there’s nothing anyone can do to make it better or fix what’s wrong.” She sighed again, and pulled the vine off her hand. “But what made it worse was knowing I had a touch of magic - that was completely and utterly _useless_ ,” She spat out, sorrow and anger filling her voice. 

Vivian rose to her feet, hands clenched at her sides. Her eyes locked onto Julian’s, the fire in them making him take a half step back. “You wanted to know how I knew about witches? They steal power, killing and maiming those weaker to increase their own. They don’t care whose blood they spill or what they destroy to get it!” she snarled. Her eyes flashed to all blue, but then she closed them and swallowed hard. Julian could see her push the wolf back, and when she opened her eyes again they were dark brown with streaks of blue. 

“I get it from my Mom’s side,” she said quietly, looking away. “The women sometimes have...a ‘knack’ for something. We don’t know where it comes from. It’s not fae or witch or like anything else I’ve ever heard of. I just call it wild magic, because it’s undependable and just does its own thing. My Mom sometimes dreams of the future. Though it’s never clear, and sometimes she’s not seeing what is or will be but what should be. Which is not super helpful.” Vivian half shrugged, and continued, “Green things like me, and I can get them to grow easily. There’s a reason I have over five dozen houseplants in my home.” She gave a small smile at that, but then frowned as she said, “Though it’s usually much, much slower than those vines. And I also get ...hunches sometimes...of things I need to do, though I have no idea why.”

Vivian rubbed her face. “Our magic hides itself most of the time from everyone, including us. But that helped keep us safe - can’t steal the power if you don’t know it’s there. It was just this thing about our family that we acknowledged but never talked about if we could help it. It didn’t do much and would drive you nuts if you tried to figure it out.” 

Vivian started trembling. “But then, that _fucking idiot brother of mine_!”

Julian looked at Vivian, startled. “Your younger brother, Aaron?”

“No!” She snarled. “My _older_ brother. _Neil_.”

“I...didn’t know you had another brother.”

“Well, that’s because I don’t anymore. The son of a bitch got himself killed 12 years ago,” she spat out. “Because he _ran his goddamn mouth_ and the fucking witches found out about us! Because of him, my cousins Emily and Renee got tortured and killed.” Angry tears started rolling down her cheeks. “Emily! All she could do was bake cookies really well. And Renee, she had the sweetest voice and sang like an angel. That was it - that was their power. _And they fucking died, because he couldn’t keep his damn mouth shut!_ ” Vivian shouted, her eyes hot and glaring blue. She was breathing hard, her chest heaving. 

She staggered and then swayed, confusion filling her face. “I - I can’t - what?” Vivian shivered and then dropped to her knees. She looked up at Julian, “What’s happening? Why can’t I think?!” She grabbed her head and fell all the way to the ground as he reached for her. “What - ” cutting off with a shriek of pain. 

“I was wondering when this would happen,” Julian said sadly. He carefully picked Vivian up and quickly headed back inside. Her blue eyes went unfocused and glazed over, her skin flushed and started sweating. He could feel her muscles bunching up already. She gasped for air, trembling, fighting the pain starting to sweep through her. He shut the door with his foot, gingerly set her down on the kitchen floor, and swiftly pulled her shirt and leggings off right before she started to writhe. Julian stepped back until his back hit the wall and then he slid down to the floor. He needed to resist the urge to touch Vivian - it hurt like hell to shift the first time and if anyone touched you it made it infinitely worse. And the first change was always the slowest. He winced as she moaned between pained gasps for air. 

He pulled out his phone and punched a quick text to Darren: _First change just started._

Darren immediately answered back: _We’ll be there in less than 15 minutes._

Julian glared as he heard bones crack and Vivian screamed. He sent another text: _Drive faster. Might not have that long._


	8. Julian: The Power Of An Omega

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vivian shifts for the first time and meets the Twin Cities Alpha and his mate.

Eleven and a half minutes later, Darren and his mate Marie quietly strode through the door, power swirling into the kitchen with them. Julian sagged back against the wall where he was still sitting, his Alpha’s strong presence immediately easing his anxious wolf. His control was paper thin - Julian’s wolf felt like it was going to burst out of his skin. It was not a pleasant thing to witness anyone’s transformation to wolf, but the fact that it was someone he cared for deeply made it even harder to watch. 

He had been trying to keep his tone gentle as he murmured words of encouragement to Vivian, but his wolf was upset that she was in pain and kept bringing a growl into his voice. Though he wasn’t even sure if she was aware of him right now - her screams had turned to wolfish howls five minutes ago. Tears streamed down her face as her body rearranged itself, bones creaking and snapping into new alignment.

Darren glanced at the body thrashing on the floor and then took in Julian’s agitated state. He came to rest against the wall next to Julian, who pressed his shoulder against his Alpha’s leg, desperately needing that grounding touch. Marie gracefully seated herself on the bench by the door, setting the boxes of food in her hands in a tidy stack on the dining table. 

“The first time’s always the hardest,” Darren said, putting a gentle hand on Julian’s head. Julian ran a hand down his face, but couldn’t stop a whine from escaping when Vivian gave a loud agonized yelp that cut off in a long pained wheeze. She seemed more wolf than human now - black and orange fur covered her from snout to newly formed tail. 

They sat in silence for five more minutes until Vivian finally gave a long shudder and stilled with a whimper, the last vestiges of the change twitching through her legs. Stretched out on her side, the coloring of her fur was easy to see. Her face, front legs, and belly were black over an undercoat of dark reddish orange, with bright fox orange on her ears that flickered here and there down her back to end in a bright spot of orange on the tip of her tail. 

“Looks like she got singed in a fire,” Darren commented dryly.

Marie huffed, rolling her eyes at him indignantly. “Where is your sense of poetry, _mon coeur_?” she said. “A new wolf already feels like shit, don’t make her feel worse.” Julian noticed her usually faint to imperceptible French accent was out in force today. The Alpha’s mate regarded the wolf quietly panting on the floor with tender eyes. “She looks beautiful, like the embers of an ebbing fire,” Marie said firmly. 

Julian glimpsed Darren arch a bemused eyebrow at his mate, but all of their focus fully returned to Vivian as she started to stir. It always took a minute for the brain to reconnect after the shift from two legs to four. Sometimes the wolf took over completely after the first change, as the human side could struggle to integrate with their new form. 

Darren nudged Julian with his knee and gestured with his head towards Vivian. “Stop gawking and go say hello, pup. It’ll help for her to hear a familiar voice and see a face she knows.” 

Julian carefully scooted closer on his knees, forcing his movements to stay slow. Vivian was shakily trying to get to her feet, the mechanics of four legs not quite clicking yet. She lifted her head and looked at him, ears twitching forward, and he reached out with gentle fingers to gingerly touch the side of her face. “Hey, V,” he said softly. “Need a little help?” Wobbling on unsteady feet, she whined, and tried to take a step towards him. She panted, trembling as her legs refused to budge. Her blue eyes were getting panicked, and he tried to look reassuring. “You’re doing great. It can take a while for your brain to catch up to being on four paws.” 

Finally, first one leg then the next moved fully, and then Vivian was burying her nose in the crook of his neck, breathing heavily and shivering a little. Julian glanced over at Darren and Marie, and they gave him silent nods of encouragement. He slowly lifted a hand to rest on the back of Vivian’s neck, then carefully ran it down her back. Soft fur rippled under his touch, and her shivers subsided. He ran both hands up her neck and gently lifted her head so she could look into his eyes. “I know this feels like a lot, and you’re probably overwhelmed right now with what’s going on,” he said. “But you are doing fantastic, V.” She blinked at him and her tail wagged slowly. 

“I’ll admit I’m impressed,” Darren interjected. “Not many wolves are this calm after their first change.” Vivian’s eyes jerked up to the Alpha, her tail tucking between her legs. She growled, showing a bit of teeth. “Hey, now, none of that,” Darren said sternly, coming to attention and moving away from the wall. 

She suddenly lunged around Julian, putting herself between him and Darren, her head low, eyes flashing, teeth bared. “Oh for heaven’s sake. _That’s enough_ ,” Darren said, power filling his words. Vivian pushed her back into Julian, but didn’t stand down. She snarled, locking eyes with the Alpha. 

Darren frowned, his eyes rapidly bleeding into yellow. Julian felt a surge of power gathering. “ _Vivian Marie Carter, that’s enough. Lay down!_ ” Darren ordered with all of his authority, the weight of the pack behind him. 

Vivian didn’t move, but Julian did, caught in the compulsion of his Alpha’s command. He grunted, dropping from his knees, his butt hitting the floor with a hard thump. Julian reached out and grabbed for the scruff of her neck as he fell back. “Damn it, Vivian, drop your eyes already!” he hissed. Julian wrapped her in a bear hug, pulling her on top of him as his back hit the floor, forcing her face away from Darren’s fierce gaze. She struggled, trying to break free, catching a claw down his forearm. As soon as the blood welled up, she instantly went still, trembling and panting hard. 

Marie laughed, breaking the heavy weight bearing down on the room. She looked at Julian, a wry smile on her face, “Oh, _mon petit chou,_ you are really in for it.” Turning to Darren, she put her hand on his arm, “You have definitively proven she’s an Omega, _mon loup_. An incredible gift to be treasured and protected.”

Darren sighed resignedly, his power beginning to dissipate, “More like a giant pain in the ass, _ma moitié_.” He gently took Marie’s hand and brought it to his lips. “I’ve been trying to keep us _away_ from Bran’s attention. I didn’t escape one tyrant just to go under the thumb of another,” he grumbled. It was an old argument said with no bite that Julian had overheard numerous times. 

Marie patted Darren’s cheek. “You know perfectly well that Bran Cornick is no Jean Chastel. We have him to thank for us getting _away_ from the Beast of Gévaudan,” she said.

Darren muttered a grudging assent and then turned his attention back to Julian and Vivian lying awkwardly on the floor. “Sorry about that, Julian. You can get up now,” he said. 

Julian sat up, still keeping a firm grip on Vivian. She hadn’t moved since she cut open his arm. A normal human definitely wouldn’t have been able to sit up so easily with 200 pounds of werewolf in their arms. She whined and licked his arm anxiously, trying to clean the blood off.

“V, it’s okay. It’s already healed up, see?” Julian said, raising his forearm, so she could see the wound was just an angry red line that was quickly fading. 

Darren crouched down and took Vivian’s muzzle in a gentle but firm grip. He peered into her eyes, but without any fire this time. “Omega. What am I going to do with you? You are outside the pack hierarchy. I can’t make you do anything you don’t want to. You’re going to keep us all on our toes, I’m sure.” He arched an eyebrow at her and continued, “But it would be an honor to have you run with us, if you decide to join our pack.” Julian made an unhappy noise, and Darren glanced at him. “Yes, she gets to choose which pack she joins. Bran’s rule,” the Alpha said. He looked back down at Vivian’s confused face. “Leo was an utter fool and rightfully got what he deserved. Torturing an Omega, one of the greatest gifts a pack could ever receive. Any halfwit Alpha should know better. I may not be a fan of Charles, but I hope he took his time ripping that bastard apart,” Darren said with a growl. “I might be old and stubborn, but I’m no idiot. You will be safe in my care, I can promise you that.”

Vivian blinked and then dropped her eyes, her tail giving a small wag. 

“I think you’ll do just fine,” Darren said, releasing her muzzle and standing back to his feet. 

Marie smiled warmly at them all. She gestured to the takeout containers waiting on the table, “Well, now that we’ve gotten that settled, _mes loups_ , how about some breakfast?”

Julian realized he hadn’t done proper introductions yet. He’d told Darren Vivian’s name when he’d been by on Saturday, but she’d been completely out at that point. Sometimes being able to call a new werewolf by name could help an Alpha control them better, but apparently that had no effect on Omegas. And Julian realized he’d only briefly mentioned Darren to Vivian so far. 

As he got up off the floor and made sure Vivian was steady on her feet again, he said, “Vivian, this is Darren and Marie Bellécourte. He’s the Alpha of the Twin Cities pack, and she is his equally fierce and charming mate. Darren and Marie, this is Vivian Carter, and as we’ve just confirmed, an Omega.” 

“And I’m sure you haven’t mentioned it to her yet,” Darren said with a raised eyebrow directed at Julian, “but Julian is second in our pack, Vivian. Which means he’s almost as dominant and protective as I am. I depend on him to maintain order and peace for the pack when I’m not available.”

Vivian looked at Julian with a confused head tilt - there was still so much he needed to talk to her about. And apparently there were some things he needed to discuss with his Alpha as well; his wolf stirred uneasily at the thought of Vivian choosing another pack to join. Julian answered Darren with a slightly embarrassed shrug, “Well, I haven’t had much time yet to bring her up to speed, boss. Little hard to talk when one or both of us are passed out.”

Darren and Marie both chuckled. “Fair point, pup,” Darren said. “But you need to inform her of pack rules in short order. There’s too much at risk these days for a new wolf to be running around ignorant and uninformed. Even if you are an Omega,” he gave her a sideways look, “you still need to abide by the Marrok’s law, and mine while you are in my territory.” 

Marie gave Vivian a gentle smile tinged with sadness. “Darren informed me of the nature of your Change, my dear. I’m sure you must have a million questions. Once things are settled a bit for you, let’s get together one-on-one to talk. There are far more men than women in the werewolf world -- we ladies need to stick together.” She gave Vivian a wink, and then turned to unpack the pile of food waiting on the table. 

Apparently Darren and Marie had already been on their way to drop off breakfast when Julian texted. Contrary to what Darren said to him on Saturday, Julian knew his Alpha wouldn’t leave him to handle a newly Changed werewolf all on his own. The food delivery was just a good excuse to check in to see how Julian and Vivian were doing. And truth be told, Julian had been feeling quite frayed, and both the food and his Alpha’s visit helped immensely. He felt the tight muscles in his back loosening as his wolf fully settled down now that Darren’s steady presence filled him with fresh strength. 

Marie apologized that they hadn’t made breakfast for them, that the takeout was a poor substitute for a quality homemade meal. Darren rolled his eyes and chuckled - they had gotten food from one of the best breakfast spots in Minneapolis, and Julian was quickly inhaling his food once he’d seen Vivian start to eat her meal. For her, they’d ordered as much bacon, sausage, and ham as could possibly be stuffed into two very large to-go boxes. 

“Aren’t you going to eat anything?” Julian asked, when he noticed Darren and Marie were sticking to their to-go coffees. 

“Oh, don’t worry, we were planning on eating out this morning, but it was Marie’s suggestion to bring you food first,” Darren said. _So you could check in to make sure I was okay,_ Julian thought with a smile as he continued to eat. Any decent Alpha was driven first and foremost to protect his pack in all ways; Darren was no exception, though he could be fairly old fashioned at times. Which made sense since he was at least 150 years old -- Julian wasn’t quite sure exactly how old though, as werewolves past their first century tended to be fairly tight lipped about their ages. To have lived that long, Julian knew, was to have experienced much, both good and bad, and the years could start to weigh too heavily. For many old wolves, bringing up the past was a sad reminder of how much the world had changed around them and all that had been lost. Though very few actually made it past 10 years after being Changed - the life of a werewolf tended to be short and violent. 

Julian caught Darren looking at Marie with quiet concern and discretely glanced over as he noticed her scent change. It was another one of those complex emotional scents that he couldn’t quite parse. She had gone quiet, gazing down at her coffee cup, her eyes focused on some distant place. If Darren was old, Marie was older, though she didn’t act like it. Marie was ever the gracious and gregarious host at their elegant Lowry Hill mansion, always making sure everyone was fed, keeping up on the latest news of both pack members and their human families. She was regal and beautiful but also warm and just as fierce in protecting the pack as her mate. She usually had an easy laugh and a ready quip for any situation. 

Today though, she seemed...off. The fact that her accent was so strong was unusual -- she had French pet names for many in the pack, but she typically sounded like any other well-to-do Midwestern woman. Her responses to their conversation had been just a bit slower than usual, like she’d had to think about how to react. Julian probably wouldn’t have even noticed normally, but this was the second woman in less than a week that he cared for that smelled strange. He wouldn’t ignore that twice. 

Julian noticed Vivian had paused eating as well and lifted her head. 

Marie sighed softly and then coming back to herself, glanced up to see the two men looking at her with concerned expressions. “What, do I have something on my face?” She said lightly, attempting to cover her momentary lapse. 

While Marie was speaking, Vivian softly padded over to the woman and set her chin on Marie’s knee, looking up with vivid blue eyes. Marie’s hand was resting on her leg, and Vivian gave it a gentle lick before emitting a soft whoof. Marie slid her hand onto Vivian’s head as she looked down at the new wolf with sad eyes. “Is it so obvious?” she asked quietly. Marie gave a long sigh. “This is never an easy day, though I try to forget. You are so young, _notre trésor,_ and Darren tells me, you are already heavy with loss and grief. I hope when you are as old as I am that love and joy outweighs the pain.”

Vivian sighed back at the Alpha’s mate, her eyes mournful. _Yes, she understands loss all too well,_ Julian thought. The eyes of both women as they looked at each other carried a shared sorrow. He glanced at his Alpha and saw the wolf in his eyes. He assumed Darren could feel exactly what was bothering Marie through their mate bond. All Julian could tell from the pack bonds was that Marie was sad and what his nose told him was too complicated for him to fully understand. 

Vivian closed her eyes and crooned softly. Opening his mouth to offer whatever small comfort he could, Julian felt power ripple out from her before he could get a word out. It was aimed at Marie, but it still hit Julian like jumping into a cool lake on a hot summer’s day. A fresh wave of peace flowed into the room, swirling around them all. Julian’s wolf gave a satisfied groan and then...it slept. He was almost boneless with the peacefulness filling him. 

“Well, I’d be damned,” Darren said, stunned.

Marie had tears in her eyes as she looked at Vivian. “Omega,” she whispered in wonder. She leaned down and kissed the top of Vivian’s head. “You are truly a great gift to receive today of all days.” Eyes closed, Marie sat back up and sighed with a smile, like she was releasing something deep inside of her. Her back was straighter and the weight was gone from her shoulders. She opened her eyes and looked at Darren, her gaze clear and bright. “I think, _mon coeur_ , this day will be a good one,” she said. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I went back and combined the original Chapter 9 with this chapter, as they were both fairly short and the continuation of the same scene.


	9. Julian: Breakfast & A Drive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vivian and Julian go for a drive to Dennis and Roxy's farm.

Julian felt the overwhelming peace ebb, like the tide going out, but it didn’t completely fade away. Vivian’s home felt renewed, the fresh whirlwind her power had called up shaking loose the stagnant grief that had reigned with an iron grip for almost six months. The sorrow was still there, but it wasn’t squeezing the life out of the house anymore. 

Darren stood up from the kitchen table and strode over to his mate, giving Vivian and Julian a grateful smile as he passed. He stopped behind Marie, wrapping his arms around her and dropping a tender kiss on the top of her head. “How about we head out for breakfast, _ma choupette_? I’m sure you have more of an appetite now.” 

Marie leaned back into Darren, a sincere smile lighting up her face. “Yes, I think I could actually enjoy a meal today after all.” She turned her gaze to Julian and asked, “What will you do today with your Omega, _mon petit chou_? It’s far too nice to stay cooped up inside all day. I’m sure both of you could do with a good run.” 

Julian said, “I was already planning on taking Vivian over to Dennis and Roxy’s. I think it’d be nice for her to meet them first before she’s introduced to the rest of the pack.” Vivian glanced from Marie to Julian with an inquiring look. “Dennis is third in our pack, and he and his mate Roxy have a farm up in Ham Lake. I think you’ll like them both, they’re good people,” he said in answer to her silent question. 

He liked Dennis and Roxy, a no-nonsense couple who had helped make his entry into the pack much easier. Dennis was one of those seemingly stoic Scandinavians who dependably showed up for his pack without fanfare, whether that was helping someone move, bringing a meal, or sitting quietly with a struggling wolf who just needed a calm, stable presence. And where Dennis could appear gruff and unassuming, his wife Roxy was a vibrant presence in their pack. She was originally from southern Mexico, with a keen insight into others, and worked alongside her husband with equal vigor and focus, both seeking to nurture harmony in the pack bonds while not putting up with any bullshit. They’d been mated for over 70 years, and Julian always found himself refreshed by their rock solid bond and mutual love and respect for each other. 

“I think a visit to the Paulsons’ farm is a good idea,” Darren said as he gave Marie a hand to help her rise gracefully to her feet. It was just a nicety, she didn’t need the assistance - Julian thought Marie was probably just as strong as Darren, and could easily rip the door off a car if she wanted to, something Julian had witnessed her do once. Alphas didn’t mate to weak women, that was for sure. 

As the Bellécourtes headed out the door, Darren turned to look at Vivian. “I meant what I said: You will be greatly valued here. But fair warning that once I talk with Bran on Wednesday, word will quickly get out that there’s a new Omega here in Minnesota. You’re going to have representatives from multiple packs beating down your door to try to woo you away.”

Vivian let out a huff and twitched her tail irritably. Julian chuckled, he knew this was home for her. Well...he sincerely _hoped_ this was home. A knot tightened in his throat. Learning that she could choose any pack in North America to join had rattled him and his wolf - after Connor’s sudden death, would Vivian want a fresh start somewhere else? 

Darren smiled at her irritation, and said to both of them, “Just thought you’d want the heads up. We can talk more later this week.”

After the door closed and he heard the Bellécourtes drive away, Julian said, “Well, let’s finish breakfast and then head out ourselves. I think you need to get a feel for your wolf in action, and there’s something about being able to run freely that helps it all click.” 

Vivian dove back into her takeout boxes with relish, making short work of the remaining piles of meat. Julian gave her some of the eggs and pancakes from his box, just to make sure she was fully fed. 

“Once you’re up for going out to eat, we definitely need to get breakfast there again. I forgot how good their food is,” Julian said with a satisfied sigh. Vivian snorted in agreement and then looked at him with a question in her eyes. 

“Yes, there is _a lot_ I need to tell you. I remember feeling super overwhelmed when I was first Changed and trying to wrap my head around being a werewolf. There’s a ton of important information to take in. I can start on our drive to Dennis and Roxy’s, it’s going to take us about half an hour to get there.” Julian thought for a second, and then asked, “Is it okay if we take your car? I don’t really want to run home and leave you by yourself to get my truck. Plus, it’s still hooked up to my work trailer.” 

Vivian nodded, and he grabbed the keys from the hook by the door. As he turned from getting the keys, Julian noticed the house plants sitting on the kitchen table by the window - they seemed taller and more vibrant than they had yesterday. He glanced into the living room at the little jungle Vivian kept in front of the big picture window, though he couldn’t have said what the plants looked like before. 

“Do your plants look...bigger to you?” he tried to casually ask her. She padded over to the kitchen table and then into the living room to investigate. She turned to him and, if a wolf could shrug in confusion, that’s what she did. 

“Okay, well it’s something you might want to look into more later. That ‘knack’ thing you told me about may have gotten a boost from you becoming a werewolf. Magic can do funny things and get much stronger once someone is Changed. There’s a reason that it’s against the Marrok’s law to Change a witch.” 

Vivian growled and Julian put up his hands. “Hey, I’m not saying you’re a witch. Like I said yesterday, you don’t smell like one at all. But you have magic of some kind, and it’s most likely stronger than it was before. That’s something you’ll need to pay attention to so you don’t accidentally hurt anyone, though if it’s just making plants grow faster that’s probably not going to cause too much trouble. Anyways, ready to head out?”

++++

Like most dominant wolves, Julian did not enjoy driving. It was necessary to get to job sites and run errands, but he didn’t take any pleasure in the process. At least in his truck, he felt somewhat secure and in control on the road, but driving Vivian’s little four door Hyundai was putting him on edge again. He grumbled to himself and muttered a few choice words as a pickup truck blew by on the right going at least 80mph and rattled the car as it passed. 

Vivian huffed at him from her spot in the back, and he looked back in the rear-view mirror to see her squinting at him. “Hey, don’t give me that judgy look, V. Very few werewolves I know actually like driving. It just makes the wolf side grumpy.” 

She stretched her head forward to poke his right elbow with her snout, clearly telling him to continue what he’d been talking about before the truck interrupted his train of thought. 

Julian was attempting to give Vivian a basic overview of the werewolf world and where he thought she fit in it. He’d met Anna Cornick, the only other Omega in North America, a handful of times over the years, but he really didn’t know much beyond that she had an incredibly powerful calming effect on other werewolves and that the compulsion to obey dominant wolves just wasn’t there - as he’d witnessed from Vivian earlier to such stunning effect. 

For now, he was focusing on the basics that applied to any werewolf under the Marrok’s rule. He’d already covered how werewolves were typically Changed these days, by petitioning the Marrok and submitting to an intensive vetting process. Few passed Bran’s scrutiny and even fewer survived the Change. 

Julian responded as simply as he could to Vivian’s probing look about his own Change. It wasn’t something he liked to talk about if he could help it, but he wanted her to know he understood her disorientation at being unceremoniously dumped into this new world. He tried to skip over as much as possible - even though it was still pretty relaxed, his wolf had felt too close to the surface earlier today. It wouldn’t help his control to bring up the people he’d lost along with his old life. 

“Similarly to you, I didn’t seek this out,” he said, gesturing at the two of them. “But my Change was….traumatic, to put it lightly. I was attacked by a crazed werewolf, who was promptly killed for that crime. I lost a lot that day...it’s not something I like to dwell on. Makes it hard to get on with living if I think about it too much.” He frowned - that was more than he’d intended to say. He glanced in the rear-view mirror at Vivian again and wondered whether it was because she was a good friend or the fact that she was an Omega that made his tongue a little too free. “Anyways, I spent some time out west for a while, and then moved here about 3 years ago to join the Twin Cities pack.” Julian exited the highway and got on the meandering road leading to Dennis and Roxy’s place. Vivian lifted her head up to see where they were going and then laid her head on the center armrest next to Julian’s elbow.

He continued, telling Vivian about his history with the pack: how three high ranking wolves had been killed by order of the Marrok for being sloppy with a kill just after the werewolves had come out to the public, that Charles had come to do it when Darren refused. Darren had insisted his wolves had done nothing wrong - they’d taken out a pedophile stalking a child - and their only mistake was leaving the body to be found by a mundane human. The pack had been thrown into turmoil because of the power vacuum Charles created with the executions, and it was an order wrapped within a suggestion from Bran that sent Julian on his way to Minnesota. He had shortly found himself settling in as second in the pack and helped Darren restore stability and calm after all the upheaval.

As he turned the car onto a more narrow and winding road, Julian said, “I’m sure I’ve missed some things so far, but a lot about being a werewolf is just pure instinct. You can usually go with what your wolf tells you.” He paused for a moment as a thought struck him. He briefly looked down at Vivian, her head still resting next to his arm. “Though you did stare down Darren pretty hard earlier, which I can’t do for more than a few seconds. What did he say - you’re outside the pack hierarchy? I guess the Omega thing means you don’t play the dominance game. But you really shouldn’t make a habit of staring into other wolves’ eyes. It’s usually considered a challenge, and you don’t want to start fights over nothing.” 

Vivian twitched her ears back, glancing up at his face. 

“Yeah, it doesn’t bother _me_ when you make eye contact. Maybe it’s the Omega stuff again or just because we’ve been friends for a while, but my wolf doesn’t take it as a challenge. But other wolves most likely would. Though if someone _was_ stupid enough to attack you,” Julian growled and gripped the steering wheel tighter, “I’d definitely jump in to protect you.” Damn, he was running his mouth again. “I mean - I’m sure you’re strong enough to protect yourself. Male or female, werewolves definitely aren’t weak. But until you have more control over your wolf, I’d recommend not going around trying to pick fights.”

Julian continued with a smirk, “Though if I recall correctly, you’re pretty good at putting people in their place. I seem to have a recollection of overhearing you very calmly and thoroughly eviscerate your petty neighbor for calling the cops on my truck being too close to his driveway.” Vivian snorted and nipped at his elbow. Julian laughed and said, “If you hadn’t noticed yet, werewolves have excellent hearing. Even though I was inside your house working, I could hear everything you said to that crabby old busybody. I don’t think he dares to so much as look at me when I come over now.” He ruffled Vivian’s ears good naturedly as she grumbled at him. “Well, I’ll have to continue giving you a hard time later - we’re here.”

Julian pulled to a stop, and Vivian’s ears popped forward as she lifted her head to take in their surroundings. Her nose started twitching as soon as he opened the door, and she whined a little. 

“Yeah, I know - it’s pretty overwhelming to be able to smell so much at once,” he said as he opened the door to let her out. “Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it pretty fast, and then wonder how you ever went through life without all the information your nose gives you.” 

Vivian jumped out of the car awkwardly and almost face planted on the ground. Julian stood still to let her steady herself against his legs. He started walking towards the modest two-story farmhouse Dennis and Roxy called home. Vivian tucked her tail and kept so close to his legs that Julian almost tripped several times. She seemed uncertain and afraid, probably trying to adjust to the sensory overload pouring into her brain. 

The Paulsons’ Newfoundland Husky mix, Hank, barked and came bounding over to say hello, tail wagging a friendly greeting. The dog was almost as tall as Vivian, though not nearly as muscular. She shrank back against Julian’s legs, looking up at him, asking what to do with panicked eyes. 

“Hey, V, it’s okay! You’re not going to hurt him - he runs with werewolves all the time. He just wants to say hi since you’re new,” Julian said. “Remember what I said about going on instinct? Just relax and tune into your wolf side a bit.”

Vivian hesitantly stepped forward and let Hank come closer, sniffing cautiously at the happy dog. Julian could see her relax more as Hank licked at her face, and her tail started to wag slowly. 

“Well, aren’t you just absolutely gorgeous!” Roxy said, walking out from the pole barn Julian had parked next to. 


	10. Vivian: What Your Blue Eyes Mean

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dennis talks while they wait for Roxy to change.

Vivian looked up at the smiling dark haired woman, her sleeves rolled up exposing sun kissed muscular arms, muck spattered jeans tucked into scuffed work boots. Roxy’s hair was back in a braid, with bits of hay caught in the loose strands. Hank gave Vivian’s face another friendly lick then ambled over to Roxy.

“Where’ve you been keeping such a beauty, Julian?” she asked, tossing a wink at him.

He stammered, and Vivian noticed his cheeks go slightly red. Roxy saved him from having to answer, turning back to the barn to yell, “Hun, come check out the new wolf Julian’s brought over! She’s a real stunner!” 

Dennis emerged, wiping his hands on a rag. He was a full head taller than his mate, and Roxy wasn’t a short woman. Where she was dark eyed and her skin a tawny golden brown, deepened by time in the sun, Dennis was all Scandinavian: tall and broad shouldered with blue eyes and blonde hair. His jeans were equally covered in grime, with a battered Twins baseball cap keeping the sun out of his face today. He smiled as soon as he saw Vivian, “Well, not everyday you see that coloring on a werewolf. Looks like a fire going out.” He scratched at his beard and said, “Darren says she’s an Omega, huh? Not too many of those running around, isn’t that right, dear?”

Roxy walked closer, keeping her movement slow and relaxed, letting Vivian have plenty of time to get her scent. “Nope, just two - well, now make that three that I know of in the whole world.” 

Julian found his voice again, “Vivian was Changed late on Thursday night and just shifted for the first time this morning. Thought I’d bring her by to meet you two, and give her a chance to stretch her legs a little bit.”

“You guys want to go for a run? We just harvested the fields out that way yesterday,” Roxy said, pointing behind the house.

Julian rubbed the back of his head and said sheepishly, “I don’t really want to try shifting just yet, still recovering from Thursday. Would you be willing--”

Roxy and Dennis both laughed, cutting him off. “That was quite the stunt you pulled, young’un!” Dennis said incredulously, shaking his head as he clapped Julian on the back. “You shifted in eight minutes?! Damn if I know how you managed that, even with all the power you got from the pack.”

“I had good motivation,” Julian muttered, glancing over at Vivian, who was enjoying the sight of her normally even keeled friend getting a little flustered. “Though I wouldn’t recommend trying it. I paid for it on Friday night when it took me half an hour to shift back.” The Paulsons both winced in sympathy. “I’d prefer not to repeat that, so I’m going to wait to change for a couple more days at least.” 

“Well, I’d be happy to take a break and run with your lovely lady,” Roxy said. She grinned at Vivian, “Though I won’t take it easy on you. I’m fast - think you can keep up with me?” Vivian opened her mouth to give what she hoped was a smile and kept her tail up as she followed Roxy and Hank towards the house, Dennis and then Julian falling in behind. 

“Let me get changed, and then let’s see what you can do,” Roxy said as she went around back. The men settled on the porch to wait, Vivian sitting between them and Hank flopping down next to Dennis. 

Vivian felt Dennis’ gaze settle on her and glanced up to see him studying her with thoughtful regard. He made eye contact and held it for a few solemn seconds, yellow starting to sparkle in his sky blue eyes, before a gentle smile broke out on his face. Vivian blinked at him calmly and then stiffened as she remembered Julian’s words from earlier. She quickly dropped her eyes down, but then lifted them again as Dennis gave a soft chuckle and winked at her. 

“Oh, you don’t have to worry about that with me, little lady. I’m old enough to know what your blue eyes mean,” he said, before turning his gaze back out towards the yard, though his focus seemed to be on somewhere else entirely. “Hmm, I think the first time I saw eyes like yours had to have been shortly after I was first Changed. I was kicking around out west, trying to figure out what I was going to do with myself. Which was a while ago - I’m older than I look,” he said in answer to her head tilt. Vivian was quickly learning that werewolves read body language very well - which she appreciated right now, since it was becoming increasingly frustrating not being able to ask all the questions popping up in her head. 

Dennis continued, “I was young and dumb and didn’t realize until later what a rare gift it is to make the acquaintance of an Omega. He gave me peace and some space between my ears to think a little more clearly. Stopped me from doing some darn fool thing that probably would have gotten me killed. I think there was one, maybe two Omegas on this side of the world back then. I only ever met the one until Anna showed up a few years back.” He sighed, his tone more somber as he said, “Ah, that poor girl. Beaten down and tortured for three long years so she wouldn’t realize what a power she is. I can’t even imagine how broken their pack must have been for that to be able to happen. Now, we may have had our share of turmoil in recent years, but I can guarantee you that nothing like that would _ever_ happen here. I for one would make _damned sure_ of it!” Dennis bit out the last sentence with a growl, but then continued more placidly after blowing out a breath, “Omegas are an absolute gift. And any sane werewolf would do whatever he could to save one, including putting his own life on the line. It goes against everything within us to bring any harm to an Omega, let alone repeatedly attack one. When you are happy, other wolves benefit from the overflow of your joy. And when you are filled with sorrow...” Dennis lifted Vivian’s chin with a gentle hand, looking into her eyes again, “it breaks our hearts, because we can feel that too.” 

She stared at him wide-eyed as he gave her an understanding look, released her chin and leaned back into his chair. Dennis rested a gentle hand on her back and sat quietly for a few moments, letting her consider his words. Softly, he said, “Grief is a heavy, lonely thing. Don’t feel like you have to let it go before you’re ready, but it can become destructive if you hang on to it for too long. Don’t let what’s gone and in the past keep you back from taking hold of the happiness and joy right in front of your face.”

Julian stilled in his seat, and Vivian heard his breath catch for a moment. “You talking to me or her, old man?” he asked lightly, though she noticed an odd inflection in his voice.

Dennis shrugged and continued looking out at his fields. He answered affably, “It’s for whichever ears need to hear it, you little punk.” He patted Vivian a couple times and then rose to his feet. “Hmm, I reckon Roxy should be out in a minute or two. Ready for her to put you through your paces, little lady? My mate actually enjoys running like a bat out of hell for some reason.”

Vivian glanced at Julian, but there was no evidence on his face of whatever Dennis’ words had stirred up. She clambered to her feet and instinctively shook like a wet dog. _Well that was incredibly satisfying_ , she thought. _Maybe she was starting to get the hang of being on four feet._

A white and toasty brown wolf pranced around to the front of the house and came to a stop right in front of Vivian. Roxy opened her mouth in a wolfish grin, dropping into a play bow, tail wagging freely. _If she was the embers of a fire, then Roxy was a lightly roasted marshmallow_ , Vivian thought as she looked down at the smaller wolf from her spot between Julian and Dennis. Roxy looked into her eyes for a moment, and then whirled around and darted off. Without even thinking, Vivian found herself launching off the porch and racing off after the wolf streaking away into the empty fields, with Hank giving a howl and merrily galloping after them both.


	11. Vivian: Space To Run & Think

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vivian and Roxy go for a run.

Vivian ran, losing herself in the delight of flying across the ground. Her wolf was fully awake, singing the joy of running free and uninhibited. Claws digging into the earth, muscles striving to propel her forward, she ran, letting all the worry, doubts, fears, and grief slip away. Heart thrumming in her chest, the wolf threw her head back and howled, exulting in the thrill of the chase, of moving her body with barely a thought, of being in this moment right here and right now. 

Tomorrow, she could let the weight of the last six months settle on her shoulders again. Tomorrow, she could continue piecing her shattered heart back together. Tomorrow, she could pick up the burden of all her troubles and cares once again. Tomorrow, she could start trying to process everything and what this new life looked like going forward. Tomorrow, she could have more questions. Tomorrow, she could figure out her next steps.Tomorrow, she could be alone and tired and scared and sad and a million other things, all those human thoughts and emotions tumbling once more through her body and brain. 

But today, she was just another part of the wind and the earth and the sun and the sky. Today, she was the panting breath, the racing heart, the muscles discovering their strength. Today, she was the joy of the chase. Today, she lived in an eternal moment, focusing on nothing else but this second and then the next. Today, she was the wolf. Today, she was _alive_ , and that’s all that mattered right now. 

With every footstep, she felt the power within herself rise up to meet the power flowing into her from the ground. The wolf called to the wild magic, embracing it, letting it flow and mix with her own might, creating something new and stronger. The songs of wolf and magic combined, their distinct chords merging into a new chorus that vibrated throughout her being. 

She ran, the wolf and the woman entwined, no separation of where one ended and the other began. 

The figure racing ahead of her looked back grinning. The white and brown wolf howled and she called back with her own cry. They darted across bare fields, through trees, back onto dirt, through trees again. She chased the wolf in front of her, not to hunt, just to run for the sheer joy of it. 

She didn’t know how long they ran before they began to slow, eventually coming to stop at a stream. She dropped her head to drink, lapping up the cold water greedily. The other wolf splashed into the water, bowing to play in front of her. She jumped at the wolf, and they rolled around, nipping and pawing at each other. She managed to bite and tug on the other wolf’s tail, which began a new chase back the way they’d come with her now in the lead. 

Dashing across the fields and through the stands of trees, tongue hanging out, tail flying behind her, she reveled in the chase. The other wolf was closing in, the distance between them growing smaller. Legs churning, she put on a fresh burst of speed, surging further ahead to keep the lead. 

She looked back to grin at the smaller wolf when a bark ahead pulled her attention forward. A wolf - no, a big dog was bounding towards them, wanting to join their fun. She blinked and her steps faltered slightly. Her pace slowed, and the white and brown wolf caught up with her just as the dog plowed into them and they all tumbled into a pile of flailing legs and tails. Her snarl was cut short by exuberant face licks from the dog and play bites from the other wolf. They all scrambled around, barking and whining, playfully pawing at each other, until at last she stopped and shook herself from head to tail. 

She dropped her head and panted in and out, letting the scent of the dirt beneath her feet wash over her. Chest heaving with exertion, breath hot and heavy, Vivian slowly came back to herself, the wolf’s control receding like flood waters draining away. 

She’d been fully aware the entire run, but it had felt like being the passenger in your own car while someone else drove. It wasn’t bad...just _odd_ to experience. If Vivian was honest with herself, it had been a relief to give the wolf control and just let everything go. To leave all the pain and grief she’d carried for the past six months behind, if even for a little while...it was a respite she’d desperately needed. There was some space inside her that hadn’t been there before, and she thanked her wolf for it. She could breathe again without feeling like she was going to crack and fall apart at any moment. There was a fresh strength flowing through her body, the newly forged bond of wolf and magic resonating within her. As the wolf faded back, so too did her awareness of the wild magic - both settled into her bones, a distant hum reverberating to the steady beat of her heart. 

Vivian blew out another breath and then raised her head to see Roxy looking at her cautiously. She noticed that Roxy was keeping Hank back by casually placing her body between the dog and Vivian. She yipped at Vivian - it was easy enough to understand she was asking, “Are you okay?”

Vivian realized she must have spaced out again while her thoughts caught up to her. She smiled and wagged her tail, trying to look reassuring. It seemed to satisfy Roxy, as the white and brown wolf turned away and started trotting back towards the house, Hank ambling along behind her. Vivian started after them, her steps smooth and easy - Julian was right, a good run did help the mechanics of four legs click in her brain. 

++++

A trough of fresh water was waiting for them by the pole barn, and the dog and wolves all dove in to drink deeply. Once they’d had their fill, they continued on their unhurried saunter to the house. Vivian noticed the chairs on the front porch were empty, but easily picked up the murmur of Dennis and Julian’s voices coming from the back yard. Roxy and Hank disappeared around the corner of the house with Vivian trailing much further behind. She lazily meandered back and forth, nose to the ground, discovering a scent before getting distracted with yet another new one.

She raised her head when the aroma of meat cooking on a grill wafted through the air to hit her nose. The smell of food finally added some urgency to her steps as she broke into a run, rounded the house, and jumped a low wood fence into the back yard.

“You ladies have a good run? You were gone for over an hour and a half, so I thought I’d get some lunch started,” Dennis said from his position at the grill. He was in the process of flipping a variety of items Vivian couldn’t see but that smelled fantastic. She gave a short bark of agreement and pranced over, tail wagging happily, tongue lolling out. 

Dennis chuckled and flicked her snout goodnaturedly as Vivian tried to stick her nose under his arm to get closer to the meat cooking on the grill. “Yeah, no, you’re just going to have to wait a few more minutes, little lady. I know you could just eat it raw, but I want _my_ burgers to be at least somewhat cooked.” He finished up flipping everything and then closed the cover of the grill. Pointing his tongs at her, he continued, “Plus, I don’t want to get your wolf all riled up. While your control today has been remarkably good so far, ripping into a chunk of raw meat can get any werewolf all hot and bothered to go hunt something. I don’t want you taking out one of our horses on accident, so you’ll just have to be patient until everything’s done.” He punctuated his last sentence by gently bopping the top of Vivian’s head with his tongs. 

She playfully snapped at him before sassily trotting away towards the back of the yard where Julian was preparing to throw a stick for Hank. Roxy was stretched out on a decorative boulder, surveying everyone with a languid gaze. Her tail thumped lazily a couple times as Vivian walked by. 

Julian released the stick into the air, which made Vivian’s wolf pop up in attention. She tore off, easily outpacing the dog, and caught the stick before it hit the ground. She spun, tail whipping back and forth, and leapt over Hank as he tried to catch up with her. She danced backwards, teasing the dog, before bounding away. Hank barked and galloped after her, enjoying the new game she’d started. She ran back and forth a few times, always prancing just out of the dog's reach. 

She glanced over at Julian as she was running, and the expression on his face had Vivian firmly in control again. Wolfish yellow streaked his eyes as his intense gaze followed her. She didn’t need a werewolf’s nose to tell her he was feeling something strong. He hadn’t realized she had seen him, and the emotions playing across Julian’s face made her heart clench. 

_That one wants to run with you, keep you safe,_ her wolf said. _If you want it, he would make you his_. The wolf glanced at him again with consideration. 

_He’s just glad I’m alive and didn’t succeed in killing myself_ , Vivian retorted as she ran back towards Hank. Her grief really had blinded her to all the people who would have been devastated if she’d died. She wasn’t the only one grieving Connor’s death; if she’d been thinking clearly, she would have realized what a double blow of loss her dying would have inflicted on all the people she cared about. 

_It can’t be both?_ her wolf asked. 

_I can’t think about this_ , Vivian snapped back.

 _You don’t want to,_ the wolf growled. 

_You’re right,_ Vivian said. _I don’t want to. I’m not ready for that can of worms, okay?_

 _Fair enough_ , the wolf said. 

And then her wolf pushed Vivian back and took over. She jumped into the air, tossing the stick behind her, Hank tearing after it. She started sprinting towards Julian as soon as her paws hit the ground. 

_What are you doing?!_ Vivian yelled, fighting to regain control. 

_Making you think_ , her wolf said right before leaping straight at Julian. 


End file.
